You are not seeing things with these images… the bottom of the staircases are found to have different heights than the rest of the ‘risers’ (the vertical part of each step). We naturally use stairs without thought, and our subconscious tells us how to take the next step.
With these staircases, it could be a difficult issue to resolve, given the poor attempt at the initial install. We often find such instances where the staircase has previously been moved due to opening up rooms, but not always! We have found signed off new-builds to have such defects.
Below is an example of different heights to risers at the top of the stairs…
This staircase impedes the landing floor deck. Our client must be made aware of the risks posed when walking across to the bedroom, particularly at night!